Book 4: Sol's Revenge & Whisper's Path

Whisper

I walked for many days, and many nights. The stars guided me to my destination. The signs lead me closer and closer to my brother, Sol. He was dwelling somewhere near a forested lake. I saw the symbols of thunder storms, rivers, wind, and shadows. I saw the symbol of cats. He was in a group of clans. And I saw the symbol for under, darkness, beneath. I couldn't figure that out - did it mean Sol was underground?

No matter where Sol was I was determined to find him. And to kill him. How had I come so far from the protective brother I once was? Sol killed that part of me when he targeted Cedarclan, when he ruined any chance I had of being with Gingerfern. He was dead to me the moment he made a deal with Echo to curse. Echo...if I could find a way to stop her ghost I would. But I know only how to fight the living, not the dead.

When I was on the outskirts of twoleg place I could sense I was coming closer to the lake. That's when the eclipse happened. A few minutes of total darkness. And then light had returned. But the moment the eclipse had passed I felt something, something changed inside me. My heartbeat slowed down and settled at a steady pace. The stiffness in my joints faded to the energy I had felt in kithood.

I tested my limbs one at a time, stretching to see if I would ache with the pains of old age. Nothing. I looked up at the sky just as the first rain drops began to fall.

"Starclan, please, are my trials over?" I asked, my voice carrying towards the clouds. There was no answer but the steady fall of rain.

"Answer me!" I cried. "I sacrificed everything. I bore this curse to help Ashclan, I gave up my love for Gingerfern because that was not the path you chose for me. I am going to kill my brother for you Starclan! Why won't you answer me?"

I looked down at the puddle forming around my paws. My reflection was strange to me. My muzzle was dark grey, no flecks of white to be seen. No wrinkles beneath my fur. The curse really was over. But my trials were not. Starclan still demanded more from me. I was not finished serving them until Sol was stopped. I was not finished until every clan and every cat was safe from his quest for revenge.

The rain fell harder, and I knew I had to find shelter for the night. A holly bush provided cover from the rain, but it took me a long time to close my eyes. I was afraid if I fell asleep I would wake up and still be cursed, still crippled with age. But finally fatigue won out and I slipped into a darker place.

I was dreaming, I knew that much when I opened my eyes and I was in marshland. Lichens and moss dangled from low hanging tree branches, obscuring my view. I pushed my way through the thick of the swamp until I reached a crystal clear pond. The rest of the swamp was hidden behind a curtain of fog, I could only see the water. I walked forward and peered into the water.

A black she cat with golden eyes looked back at me. I reared back from the water as she emerged, dripping wet. She smiled crookedly and her gleaming teeth one by one fell out. She took a step toward me and maggots crawled out of her paw. I tried to run but the tangle of branches and lichesn trapped me as she stumbled toward me, decomposing more and more with each step.

I closed my eyes in horror and struggled to escape. I could feel her near me.

"I was close with you once. I had this vision for us, we'd live in Skyclan and be the greatest warriors. Or we'd travel as rogues and see the world. We'd have eachothers backs because we are family. But Sol left me to drown and you forgave him. I hate you more than you could possibly imagine Whisper. After I died I found myself in some kind of purgatory. There was an old cat there, he was furrless and blind. He terrified me. He said I was bad, I couldn't find my way to a happy afterlife because there was too much venom in my heart.

"He said I'd be stuck in purgatory until I found peace. He gave me powers Whisper. The power to take over Zillas body. The power to curse Sol. The power to get my revenge. And I'm not done with you yet, he gave me one more power. You'll see what that is soon."